Important Vitamin Information for Elder Americans (Video)

Vitamins are nutrients that your body needs to grow and develop normally. Get important vitamin information for elder Americans with help from a researcher and executive in this free video clip.

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Hi, I'm Dr. Steven Hausman of Hausman Technology Keynotes. And I will be speaking with you about vitamins for older Americans. Vitamins are nutrients that your body needs to grow and develop normally. There are 13 vitamins, A, C, D, K, E and the B vitamins. Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, B-6, B-12 and folate. Many have different roles in the body. They help you resist infections, keep your nerves healthy, help your body to get energy from food. And keep your blood clotting properly. In most cases, you should be able to get enough vitamins from a very diet. But sometimes your doctor may suggest you might need extra of a few vitamins. Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium, which is needed for strong bones. Most adults make enough vitamin D by being in the sun for 10 to 15 minutes twice a week. If you're older however, you may not be able to get enough vitamin D that way. If you're age 50 to 70, you need at least 600 units of vitamin D a day. If you're age 70 or older, you need at least 800 units of vitamin D a day. You should never take more than 4000 units a day. Vitamin D is found naturally in fatty fish and fortified milk products. Vitamin B-six (B-6) is used to make red blood cells. And men need at least one point seven milligrams and women need one point five milligrams a day. B-6 is found in fortified cereals and whole grain products. Some people have difficulty in absorbing vitamin B-12 that is found naturally in foods. So they may need to take a B-12 supplement. In general it is not necessary to take vitamin supplements, but they maybe necessary if you eat a vegan or vegetarian diet. Vitamin supplements are generally not dangerous unless too much is taken. For example, too much vitamin A can cause headache, blurred vision and liver problems. Too much niacin can cause redness of the skin and upset stomach. Too much vitamin C can cause kidney stones. Vitamin supplements are not a substitute for a healthful diet.